More than 100 million Americans live in poverty, millions of Americans are unemployed and many have given up looking for work. The absence of hope only helps unemployment statistics, nothing else.

As someone who has overcome being homeless in our community after losing both of my parents to cancer at a young age, I care, listen and take responsible action.

With more than 20 years experience serving on state, regional and local public committees, as well as nonprofit boards, I value listening to the concerns and ideas of our neighbors regardless of party or socioeconomic background. Especially when people are struggling, my focus remains working with people across political lines to create effective, sustainable solutions for the challenges confronting our community and our nation.

My Democratic campaign for Virginia’s 8th congressional district runs with a plan for positive action. In 2010 I wrote a plan to quicken economic growth, create jobs and instill confidence in our nation’s future.

“Solutions for an Enduring Nation: Restoring Confidence in America’s Future” remains the only comprehensive economic and fiscal plan the incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) has sent to the Congressional Budget Office for analysis in his more than 20 years on Capitol Hill.

I represent an expansion for the Democratic Party. In 2011 I made a principled stand to voice concerns, to stop cuts in education funding, stop increasing students per teacher and to stop reducing the take-home pay of teachers, first responders and other public employees. I showed a willingness to stand alone if necessary fighting for Democratic values and Democratic public policy priorities. We earned votes from Democrats, Independents and Republicans; we earned 30 votes per dollar spent.

When the Democratic Party of Virginia has been pushed back on its heels, we need candidates who can reach out to swing voters and help strengthen the party throughout Virginia. Given the opportunity to serve, I will be an active, vocal advocate in the Progressive Caucus for the Democratic Party.

I look forward to competing for the Democratic nomination.

The plan I wrote in 2010 and the incumbent submitted to the CBO works to improve our community’s quality of life. We create jobs, bring more than $400 million dollars in new unfettered federal funding to Virginia’s 8th District annually, help children fulfill their potential, expand access to higher education and provide effective solutions for local traffic.

Our plan provides important solutions for challenges confronting our nation. We provide universal quality health care with embedded choice and competition positioning doctors and patients as the central relationship in medicine, keep our promise making Social Security solvent without reducing benefits, attract trillions of dollars in new active investment in our economy and double our GDP in the next 10 years while eliminating our deficit and reducing our debt.

The plan summary and the incumbent’s cover letter to CBO are readily available on my campaign website at www.va8.com.

It’s time to move forward. Don’t you think?

– A. Will Radle Jr.Democratic candidate for the 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives